dardier



(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. V. BARBIER & C. G. MELLSTROM.

BREBGH MBCHANISM POB. ORDNANQB.

No. 538,014. Patented Apr. 23,1895.

(No Model.)

` l 10 Sheets-Sheet 2. S. DAR-DIER 8v C'. G. MELLSTROM. BREEGH-MECHANISMFOB. ORDNANG'B.

N0. 538,014. I Patented Apr. 23, 1895.

Tus mams PETERS co. Puooufnmwasmuamn. n. c,

(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 3.

` S. V. DARDIBR 8u C. G.'MELLSTROM.

BREEGH MEGHANISM FOR URDNANE,l

No. 538,014. PatentedApr. 23,1895.

(No Model.)

10 Sheets-Sheet 4. S. V. DARDIER 8v G. G. MELLSTROM.

BRBBGH MEGHANISMl FOB. ORDNANGE.

Patented Apr. 23,1895.

ma Nunms PETERS co, PrgooLm-lo.. wAsmNaYoN, C,

(No Model.) 10 Sheets--Sheei'J 5.

S. V.- DARDIBR 8v C. G. VIMZLLS-TIROM. BRBBGH MEGHANISM FOR ORDNANGB.

10.538,014. Patented Apr'. 2s, 1895.

(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 6'.

S. V. BARMERv & G. G. MELLSTROMf BRBBGE MEGHANISM POR ORDNANGB.

No. 538,014.' PaentedApr; 23, 1895. l

Immnmmummmlimiimmm. E i: I

lizza/WJ (No Model.) v 10 Sheets-Sheet 7. S. V. DARD-IER 8v C.G.MELLSTROM. BREEGH MEGHANISM PGR ORDNANGE.

,N0l 538,014. Paten dApI. 23, 1895.

TH: Nona s PETEns co, Pnofaumo.. wsmupou, n. c.

(No Model.) 4 10 Sheets-Sheet. 8.

S. V. DARDIBR 81; C. Gr. MBLLSTROM. BRBBGH MEGHANISM FOR omnmsm.4

No. 538,014. at@ tgd Apr. 23, 1895.

(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 9.

S V. BARBIER 81; C. G. MELLSTROM. BREBGH MBGHANISM POR ORDNANGB.

No. 538,014. Patented Apr. 23, 1895.

(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 10.

S. V. DARDIER 8v C. G. MELLSTROM.

BREEGH MEGHANISM POR ORDN-ANGE.

l PatentedApr. 23, .1895.

llllllll II|I||Il IIIIII .IIIIII UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL vIOTOR DAEDIEE AND CHARLES eUsrAv MELLSTROM, OE LONDON,

ENGLAND. y v

BRECH MECHANlSM FOR ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,014, datedAprl. 23,1895.

Application tiled January l5, 1894. Serial No. 496,883. (No model.)

DIER, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and CHARLESGUsTAv MELLSTROM,

civil engineer, a subject of the King of Swe-r den and Norway, bothresiding at Victoria Mansions, 32 Victoria Street, London, England, haveinvented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Breech Mechanism for toQuick-Firing and other Brooch-Loading Ordnance, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to breech-mechanism t5 for quickfiring and otherbreech -loading guns. D

The chief novel feature of the said invention is that the breech-blockand carrier-bracket which are formed in one piece, orare firmly zosecured together, are carried by an external' ring mounted on the gun insuch 'a manner that when the breech-block is turned about its axis tolock or unlock the same, the carrier-bracket, the hinge pin, and thebeforementioned external ring turn simultaneously therewith. We thusavoid the use of looking rings such as have been .heretofore used incombination with a breech-block and carrierbracket rigidly connectedtogether, and we 3o also secure other advantages not heretoforeobtainable in this form of breech-mechanism.

Qur said invention is applicable to all the ordinary or Well-knownshapes of screw breechblocks Whether cylindrical, conical, conoidal, 3 5or stepped on their screw-threaded surfaces. In carrying our inventioninto effect We place on the gun, at or near the rear end thereof, a ringof suitable strength and furnished at one side with a hinge-pin to whichthe car- 4o rier-bracket is hinged. The breech-block is preferablymadepwhole, or in one piece with the carrier-bracket, but if not so madeit is rigidly secured to the said bracket. The aforesaid ring is somounted that it can turn on the gun through a limited angle, determinedby a fixed stop,and does so turn with the carrier bracket andbreech-block whenthe lastnamed is rotated to lock andvunlock the same toand from the breech. The said ring is moreover so arranged that when itis turned 5o it has a slight axial movement, the same in direction anddegree as the movement of the breech-block,so that the ring andbreechblock always' maintain during such movement the samerelativepositions. A simple mode of insuring thisflxity of relative positions isby screwing the ring on the gun, the pitch of the screw-threads of thering being the saine as those of the breech block. Other modes ofeffecting the same result may be employed. 6o For example, the ring maybe held in position by radial pins, which are secured in the ring bypreference, and project into spiral grooves formed in the gun, theinclination of said grooves being the same as that of the screwthreadsof the breech-block.

In the accompanying drawings We have shown our invention applied tothree guns.

Y Figure. 1 is a side elevation of the breech end of a quick-fringgun ofsmall caliber. 7o Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation, and Fig. 3 is acentral horizontal transverse section, of the same. Fig. 4. is a rearend elevationshowing theiimprovements applied to a gun of largercaliber, but drawn to a smaller scale, the breech being closed. Fig. 5is a similar view partly in section, but'showing the breechblockunlocked and ready to be Withdrawn from the breech. Fig. 6 is ahorizontal central longitudinal section of the same showing the breechopen. Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of a still larger gun having thepresent improvements applied thereto," the breech-block being looked inposition. Fig. 8 is a similar view but partly in section and showing thebreechblock unlocked ready to be withdrawn. Fig. 9 is a horizontalcentral section With the parts in the same position as in Fig. S. Fig.10 is a side elevation of the left side of the breechend of the gun.Fig. 1l is a. horizontal section taken on the line oc, or, Fig. 8; andFig. 12 is a transverse section taken on the line y, y, Fig'. 11. Fig.13 is an end view of the gun of Fig. 8, Withparts shown in section andparts removed.4 Figs. 14 and 15 are views of 95 the parts detached fromFig. 13. Fig. 16 isa i perspective View of a portion of the end of thegun shown in Fig. 8.

' at any other time.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

A is the gun. 1

B is the breech block.

C is the carrier-bracket.

D is the external ring.

E is the extractor.

F is the tiring pin in the breech-block.

G is the operating lever.

Referring lirst to Figs. l to 3, to insure, when closing the breech,that the external ring D shall not be turned about its axis until thebreech-bloek is inserted in the gun we form a projection or. lug C outhe hinge of the carrier-bracket C and a corresponding recess C0 betweenthe extractor' and one of the lugs E0 to which the extractor is pivoted,in such a position that the said lug yor projection C on the hinge isyopposite the said recess C? when the breech-block is unserewed, but notThe carrier-bracket C can be turned on its hinge only when the lug orprojection C is vopposite the recess C0, by reason of thescrew-threads-of the block being locked with those of the breech andwhen the bracket is so turned the-said lugor projection C enters therecess. In so doing it locks the external ringD to the gun for the timebeing, that is to say, it prevents the rotation of the ring on the gununtil the breech-block has been pushed forward again into the gun,'andthe lug or projection C thereby withdrawn from the recess C0. The ringcan therefore be turned about its axis only when the breechblock isinthe gun. Y

The extractor E is a lever pivoted at E 'to lugs E0, E0 formed with orsecured to the gun,

and is formed with a tail E2 projecting out- .ward from the hinge. Weprovide on'the rotatable carrier-bracket near the hinge, acamlikeprojection or tappet C5 which when the said bracket has been adjustedwith the ring about the axis of the gun to unlock the breech- I block isopposite to or is in Acontact with the tail E2. Then if the bracket isturned on its hinge pin C2 it strikes the said tail end F.2 of theextractor E and operates the said extractor to withdraw the spentcartridge from theA v gun.

The said cam-like part of the carrier is so constructed and arranged asto act first gradually l011 the tail lof the Vextractor `until thecartridge is loosened, and then more rapidly to jerk the 'cartridge outof the gun in a well-known manner.

vIn guns of smallcaliber such as that sh'own in Figs. l, 2 and 3,wherein the breech-mechanism is light and easily movable we provide foroperating the breech-m-echanism as follows-that is to say, We form orfix on thecarrier-bracket a hand lever "or handle G by which the saidbracket can be turned about the axis of the gun to unlock thebreech-block and can then be pulled outward to 'turn it about its hingeto withd raw the breechblock,

and can be movedin the reverse order and direction when closing thebreech.

H isa screw plug secured in the ring D and working in a helical groove Hformed in the breech. Said plug and groove 'serve to limit the rotarymovement of the breech-block in both directions.

For guns of somewhat larger caliber such as that shown in Figs. 4, 5 and6 wc provide for facilitating the opening and closing of the breech asfollows-that is to say, the carrierbracket C is firmly fixed on thehinge pin C2 on which is also fixed a toothed wheel, preferably a bevelwheel or a segment of such a wheel, as shown at I. This wheel or segmentI gears with another wheel or segment I which is attached to the boss ofthe operating lever G which turns upon a strong stud or pin J thatprojects rearwardly from the upper bearing D0 of the hinge pin C2. Inopening this breech-mechanism the gunner first uses 'the handle 'orlever G for turning the external ring D and breech-block B about theaxis of the gun to unlock the breech-block, during which operation thegear wheels I, I cannot be rotated because the block is not freed fromthe screw threads of the breech, and then by the continued movement ofthe handle in the 'same directiontwhen the carrier-bracket C can turn nofarther about the axis of the gun by reason of the stop H arriving atthe end of the groove H' but is free to turn on its hinge) he rotatesthe gear Wheels and hinge pin thereby moving the carrier about the hingeand withdrawing the breechblock from the gun. By moving the handle inthe contrary direction the breech-block can be tirst pushed into the gunand then locked.

For 'still heavier guns, we use the mechanism now to be described withreference to Figs. 7 to 16. The carrier-bracket C is secu'red to thehinge-pin as in the modification last described, and the hinge pin isgeared by tooth-ed wheels I, l to a transverse holA low shaft M which issupported directly at lone end and indirectly at the other in bearingsD', D on the external ring D without capability of endwise movement insaid bearings. lViithin the shaft M is mounted a vsleeve Nwhich fillsthe interior of said shaft M and when in place is incapable of endwiseor axial movement therein. Passing axially through the shaft M andsleeve N is a spindle O one end of which is screw threaded as lshown latO and screws into a female screw thread M0 formed in the shaft M. Thesaid female screw thread does not extend completely through to theen'dof the shaft M but terminates some little distance from the end so thatwhen the spindle O has been screwed into the female thread as far as itwill go 'the continued rotation of the spindle in the same4 directionwill cause the shaft M to rotate. On th-e outer end of said spindle O isfixed a toothed wheel Gr.I The said spindleissquare in section andApasses through a square hole in the sleeve N or is provided with afeather key or otherwise connected to the sleeve N IIO 'so that thesleeve and spindle must turn together when the latter is rotated whilethe spindle is permitted to slide axially through the sleeve. The handleG is supported by a bearing D2 formed on the bearing D and on its axisis mounted a wide toothed wheel G2 which gears with the aforementionedwheel G so that by turning the handle G the spin` dle O can be rotatedin either direction. The wheel G2 is made very wide to allow for theaxial movement of thewheel G while maintaining the two wheels in gear.The spindle O has a collar O2 at the outer'end which is supported in thebearing D. Said spindle Vforms at this end the supportfor the shaft Mand sleeve N. On theru circumference of the sleeve N is formed a spiralor helical Agroove N which merges at one end into a circular groove N2that makes something less'than a Vwhole turn round the sleeve. Thiscircular groove coincides in position with a corresponding circular slotM extending partially around the shaft M.' Said'groove N is preferablyrectangular in cross section. In the shaft M is also formed a long slotM2 which extends in the direction o f the length of the shaft. Said slotM2 is however not straight but is curved, the radius of its curvaturebeing equal to the distance of the slot from the axis of the gun. Thesaid curved slot terminates at one end in the circular slot M.

K is a pin or stud which is secured in the breech and projects throughthe vslot M2 of the shaft M into the spiral groove N o f the sleeve N. Apart of the breech indicated by B5 is hollowed out to admit the shaft Mand its contained parts above described. The action of this mechanism isas follows-that is to say, assuming the breech to beclosed and thebreech-block locked as shown in Fig. 7, then by turning the handle G thespindle O and sleeve N are rotated in the direction which causes theSpindle to screw into the shaft M and the spiral groove N to travelalong the fixed stud K. Since the sleeve N cannot move endwise in theshaft M the result of the rotation of the said sleeve is that the shaftM is forced to travel endwise, and in so doing it carries its bearings Dand consequently the external ring D with it thus unlocking thebreech-block. By the time the stud K has arrived at the end of thespiral groove N the breech-block has become fully disengaged from thescrew threads of the breech, and the spindle O has become screwed intothe shaft M as faras it will go. The continued rotation of the spindle Onow causes the shaft M to rotate, which it can do since the stud K hasnow enteredthe circular slot M of the said shaft. Moreover there is nowno further turning effort on the external ring D since the stud K hasalso passed into the circular groove N2 in the sleeve N. The rotation ofthe shaft M acts through the wheels I, l to turn the hinge-pin `C2 andso withdraw the breech-block from the breech. By turning the handle G inthe reverse direct-ion, the breech-block is first caused to enter thebreech, and then it is turned to lock the same, the operations abovedescribed taking place in reverse direction and order. While the ring Dis being rotated, the stud K is traversing the curved slot M2.

To insure that the external ring shall not commence turning before thebreech-block is properlyinserted in the breech when closing the latter,which it mig-ht otherwise do at the moment when the pin K is passingfrom the circular slot M to the longitudinal slot M2, we provide a leverR pivoted at R to a bracket R2 carried by the external ring D. One endof said lever is adapted to bear against the side of the Wheel G whenthe breech-block is unlocked and the other end bears at the same timeagainst a lug or stop S formed on or fixed to the gun'. The lever iscaused to bear against the stop S by the turning of the external ring inthe unlocking of the breech. It will be obvious that when the lever R isin allyunless the said lever R can turn on its pivot and so move out ofthe path of the said Wheel G. Such turning movement of the lever cannottake place by reason of the stop S unless the external ring D rotatesand carries the lever away from the stop, and hence it follows that thewheel G cannot move axially until the pin K enters the spiral groove Nand so begins to turn the ring D and lock the breech.

To further insure that the external ring D shall not be rotated whilethe block is out of the breech we provide a stop P dovetailed in orotherwise secured to the side of the gunin combination with two heelpieces C"7 C5 formed on the hinge of the carrier. When the breechblockis unlocked, the said stop is opposite the space between the said heelpieces C5, C5 and in this position the carrier C can be turned about itshinge, and when so turned the heel pieces C5, C5 pass one on each sidethe stop P and thereby prevent any rotation of the external ring D solong as the breech is open. On the closure of the breech, the heelpieces are withdrawn clear of the stop, and the ring D can then beturned to lock the block. The

faces of the heel pieces C5, C5 are constructed to just clear the end ofthe stop P when and only when the breech-blocknis completely inserted inthe breech, and it follows that the carrier cannot begin to turn on itshinge until the external ring has turned sufficiently to bring the spacebetween the heel pieces C5, C5, exactly opposite the stop.

What we claim is` v l. The combination with avgun, of a breechblock, acarrier bracket and an external ring fitted to turn on thev gun, thesaid breechblock, carrier bracket and ring being connected so as to becapable of simultaneous movement, as set forth.

ICO

IIO

2. The combination withagun,of an external ring movablecircumferentially and axially with respect to the gun, a breech-blocland a carrier bracket therefor hinged to the said ring, as set forth.

3. The combination with a gun, of a ring fitted thereto, and movablecircu'm-ferentially thereon, a breech-block hinged to said ring andformed or provided with a projecting part adapted to enter a recess insuch position in the gun that the said projection is opposite 5. Thecombination with a gun, of an external ring movable circumferentiallythereon, 25 a breech-block and carrier hinged to the ring,

a lever geared with the said carrier and adapted when turned to swingsaid breech-block and carrier, as set forth.

6. The combination with a gun, of an exter- 3o nal ring movablecircumferentially thereon,

a breech-b1ock and carrier hinged to the ring,

a transverse shaft and sleeve carried in bearings on the ring and gearedwith the hinge pin of the carrier, and arranged to encounter 3 5 a pinor projection on the gun so that when the ring has been turned about thegun the carrier will be turned about its hinge, as set forth. y

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set 4o our hands this 29th day ofDecember, 1893.

' SAMUEL VICTOR DARDIER.

CHARLES GUSTAV MELLS'IROM.

Witnesses:

CHAS. ROCHE, i HARRY PETER VENN.

